Embalming-table.



No. 839,755. PATENTED DEC. 25, 1906. S. A. HARPER, JR. EMBALMING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT 11 1905 SAMUEL A. HARPER, JR, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

EMBALlVllNG-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 25, 1906.

Application filed September 11,1905. Serial No. 277,866.

r'o 11,74 whom 11!; "may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. HARPER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Embalming-Tables and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the 111- vention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has reference to embalming-tables.

The object of the invention is to improve this class of devices andprovide a light but strong table that can be made readily portable by making provision for folding it into compact form.

In the appended drawings, forming part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved table, showing the adjusting means. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing a slightly-modified form of adjusting mechanism. Fig. 3 is a top view of a portion of the table with parts broken away to show the adjusting mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the under side of a portion of the table, illustrating manner of pivoting a ratchetbar thereto.

The reference-letter A indicates the frame of the table, and B B the legs hinged to said frame, as at Gin Fig. 2, and foldable beneath the frame, as will be described hereinafter. Hinged to end of the frame A is a tiltable member D for receiving the body to be enibalmed. This said member is preferably provided with caned surface after the manner of a chair or bench seat, although it is not a necessity. The said member D is provided with hinges E, as shown, to form a pivotal support and to allow vertical movement thereof.

At F in Fig. 4 is a casting G, secured to the under side of the member D, there being one at each side thereof, but one, however, being shown. Pivotally suspended from each casting G is a ratchet-bar H, whose teeth extend in a downward direction, as shown. Extending across the frame A from side to side is a rod J, which is engaged by both the ratchet-bars and serves to support the member D at any height. Secured at each side of the portion D is a casting K, to each of which is pivoted the end of a bar L, and these latter extend alongside the member described and 'mesh with the gears.

support between them a headrest comprising a board M, having two raised portions N, which serve to properly hold the head of the body. Pivotally hung from each of the bars L is a second ratchet-bar 0, similar to the bar H described. Also a rod P extends across the frame A parallel with the rod J and serves to support the said ratchet-bars O and the head-rest described. It will now be seen that any adjustment of either the mem ber D or the head-rest may be made by simply changing the positions of the ratchetbars on the respective rods which support them. I have stated hereinbefore that the legs are adapted to fold beneath the table, and this is made possible with the use of the hinges C mentioned and the flat spring 0, secured at its middle to a cross-piece C of the frame A, the ends of said spring having holes therein, only one of which is shown at C in Fig. 2, for receiving a pin 0 in a member C to which the legs are secured. This construction holds the legs in a firm open posi tion for use; but when the said pins (7 are released by removing the spring ends the legs can be folded under the frame which they support. The spring-pressure will then serve to keep said legs in that position.

I have also shown in Fig. 2 a slightly-modified form of adjusting means for the table and which may be used in place of the ratchet bars, if desired. In lieu of the ratchet-bars H and O the rack-bars Q and R are employed, respectively, and extending across the frame A between said rack-bars is a shaft S, carrying two gears U, with which the bars Q and R engage, there being pins V, secured in the frame, for keeping the bars in Outside the frame is a pair of ratchet-wheels WV, each having a pawl X for engaging it, while a crank S is employed for turning the shaft. In this form of adjusting means the crank is turned to re volve the shaft, and if the latter be turned toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, the

bars R will be lowered, while the bars Q will be raised. The result is that the head-rest is lowered in position, while the member D is elevated. If the operation is reversed. the opposite movement will result. It will be understood that the pawls must be lifted from the ratchet-wheels when the adjustment is made and then allowed to again engage, and thus hold, the members in position.

My improved table is particularly useful in the case of babies whose heads are large for their bodies. When laid upon a common table, the head is thrown forward with the chin upon the breast but by having a sup port that is adjustableas, for instance, the head-rest as I employ itthe difficulties just mentioned are overcome, and, furthermore, any desired inclination of the body can be had. The arms L by being pivoted some distance from the end of the member D allow the head-rest greater range of movement vertically than would be possible if pivoted close to the end, and by this means the plane of the head-rest never occupies a steep angle relatively to the said member D in any of its required adjustments. The head-rest M can be folded under the portion or member D, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the ratchetbar or rack-bars, as the case may be, being merely lifted out of engagement with their supports. In the case of the ratchet-b ars they are merely lifted from the rods that support them. The rack-bars Q and R are released from the gears after first removing the pins V, which hold them in mesh with the gears, or by sliding said rackbars sidewise off of the gears.

I claim 1. In a device of the character described, a j

a frame having legs foldable therebeneath, a

supporting-frame, a member hinged at one end to one end of the frame and vertically adjustable at itsfreeend, a head-rest, parallel arms secured on the head-rest and straddling the hinged member, the free ends of the same pivoted on the latter below the same remote from the vertically-adjustable end thereof, ratchet-bars pivoted to and depending from the member, means on the frame with which the ratchet-bars are adapted to engage, ratchet-bars also pivoted on the head-rest and depending therefrom, and means on the supporting-frame with which they engage, the members being adjustable relatively and relative to the supporting-frame as described.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting-frame, a member hinged at one end thereto, a head-rest at the other end of the member, arms carried by the head-rest to straddle the free end of the member, the said arms being pivoted to said member some distance from the end thereof substantially as shown, said head adapted to fold beneath and against the member, ratchet-bars pivotally hung from the member, ratchet-bars also pivotally hung from the head-rest, andmeans on the frame with which the said ratchet-bars engage, the latter independently adjusting the member and the headrest in the manner set forth.

3. In a device of the class described, a supporting-frame, a body-supporting member pivoted at one end thereto, ahead-rest, arms secured to the head-rest to straddle the free end of said member, the ends of the arms having pivotal attachment with the member at a point distant from the end of the latter, the said headrest being foldable beneath the member, ratchet-bars pivotally hung from the head-rest, ratchet-bars pivotally hung from the member and means on the support ing-frame engaged by the two series of bars, for the separate or joint adjustment of the two members.

4. In a device of the class described, a supportingframe, a body-supporting member pivoted at one end to the frame, a head-rest, arms rigidly secured to the head-rest substantially parallel to the plane thereof, the free extremities of the arms having a downward bend and thence extending-parallel to their secured ends and having pivotal con nection with the body-supporting member below the same whereby the head-rest is foldable therebeneath, ratchet-bars hung from both the head-rest and the said member, and means on the supporting-frame for holding the bars on the head-rest and the bars on the supporting member'separately, at different positions of vertical adjustmentwhereby the head-rest and supporting members may be adjusted and held at various positions relavtively to each other, and relative to the said supporting-frame.

5. A portableembalming-table comprising bodysupporting member'hinged at one end thereto and vertically adjustable at its free end, a head-rest an'ularly adjustable with respect to the said a justable end of the supporting member, arms secured to the headrest and extending therefrom along each edge of the body-supporting member and hinged at their endsto the latter some distance from the end thereof, the head-rest being foldable beneath the member, the entire device when folded forming a compact flat body, adjusting means on thehead-rest and adjusting means on the member, and means on the frame with which such means engage for adjusting'the two.

6. In a device of the class described, a sup porting-frame, a body-supporting member hinged thereto at one end, the free end of the member being vertically adjustable, a headrest at the said free end of the member, arms secured to the head-rest and pivoted at their free ends to the member some distance from the end thereof whereby said head-rest is permitted to have a wide range of vertical movement relative to the member while the relative angles of the'planes of the said mem her and head-rest change but little in the adjustment thereof, and means for adjusting and supporting the member and head-rest.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL A. HARPER, JR.

Witnesses:

E. J. ABERSOL, L. M. THURLOW.

IIO 

